Lee Loader

The price difference alone would make up my mind. Beside why fix what ain't broken. Love the Lee hand press!

You mentioned a bench press is not being considered. Is that because of the surgery, or some other reason (available reloading area or available space)?

The hand loader is sorta an animal all by itself and for some it can be clumsy to use. Many folks use them for single purposes like decapping/decapping/sizing, or priming. I used mine to batch load, completely, handgun ammo (38/357, 44 Spec./44 Magnum) and while I have carbide dies I lubed the cases to make it easier to operate the "Squeezer". I did try some .223, which worked sorta OK and some 30-06 which were a bit too much work. For me it did take a short time to get a comfortable system down that would allow me to reload without straining or twisting the tool around when I tried to squeeze a tough case. But as many reloaders found, it's a good tool especially for decapping and priming...

I might just get mine out and "relive" some of my early reloading experiences...

I bought mine without the kit because I mostly wanted for the range to de-cap black powder cartridges before they go into the bath. Water, a little Dawn and a little vinegar they get agitated on the drive home and are ready for the wet pin wash when I get home. If I have just a few cases to do I de-cap with it at the bench also.

Make smoke,

mikld wrote:You mentioned a bench press is not being considered. Is that because of the surgery, or some other reason (available reloading area or available space)?

It's all about having no space in my home for anything - maybe a little more than 750 square feet in our 1-BR WW2-era condo?

My "first life" up until my divorce in 2002 was with an old WW2-era single-family house, about 1/4 acre yard, primitive driveway for my landscape trucks and lawn care equipment in the back, a large self-built storage shed big enough for my tools and a few mowers kept off the landscape trailer, etc. Lots of boy-toys, room to get things dirty and leave them alone if I wanted to. Everything post-2002 has been living like I am Japanese in Tokyo ever since....hard, sure but it can be done!

My second wife and I have a ton of musical instruments here, almost all are hers except a couple guitars and amps are mine, she has 4-5 ukeleles/2 guitars/a full-kit electronic Yamaha drumset/ upright Yamaha piano/ accordion/gongs/other drums/etc. since she is a life-long musician and music teacher. I somehow stash a bunch of guns and ammo and gear in the various nooks and crannies. Then there's the book collection - why do we have so many? I don't know! We manage to also have 2 dogs, lots of dog toys and the list goes on and on.....

>750 sq. ft. - keep this in mind! so there is absolutely no place for a workbench of the variety which allows fragrant spray lubricants to enter the home, etc. etc. you get the idea.

A Lee Loader and a Hand Loader are all I will ever need, have the room for, literally....and I am fine with that!

Just wanted to give a sense of the space restrictions - without even bringing up the tool noise restrictions....

alphalimafoxtrot wrote:>750 sq. ft. - keep this in mind!

There you have it! Mr. Lee has you covered!

I totally understand. (and for me many times music is a bit more important than reloading) I reloaded in a small studio apt for a while, but I was alone and used a work mate with a "C" press mounted on a board. I think a Hand Press will fit your needs and keep you shooting between gigs...